Huawei is providing operators with an incredible solution that will ensure a better user experience.
It has been noted that the development of pole sites is an amazing solution that will improve network connectivity and optimize network coverage. Pole Sites are fundamental in overcoming transmission difficulties.
Market insights have proven that resources are available around the globe and they are ready to be brought into effective action.
The available resources include approximately 1 billion power and street light poles, 100 million monitoring and transmission poles, 10 million phone booths, and 10 million billboards. Most of these poles already have the core elements required to deploy a site, such as power and transmission resources, and right of way (ROW), making them ideal site locations
In this recent era, wireless networks will need many small cells across a city to ensure a better user experience, improve network performance, and prepare for 5G-oriented evolution in the future.
This compels telecom operators to move away from pure macro cell towers, which are hundreds of feet tall and transmit wireless signals for miles, to embracing multi-layer networks that enable small cells from virtually any site such as street lamps, utility poles and traffic lights.
The benefits of pole sites are recognized by operators and many are gaining access to sites through third-parties that have already-approved sites. However, there are still significant obstacles in terms finding appropriate sites, obtaining permits and meeting regulations which have long approval cycles, and high rental fees.
To help operators overcome these challenges and seize growth opportunities, Huawei’s approach is to help operator optimize total cost of operation, shorten Return on Investment and enhance site efficiency. Huawei has developed innovative scenario-specific solutions namely PoleStar, TubeStar, and RuralStar that enable more sites in a simple, fast and cost-efficient manner.
Huawei PoleStar is for urban areas and can be installed on lamp posts and a variety of other locations in a matter of hours. Huawei TubeStar enables wireless devices to be embedded in light poles and are therefore environmentally friendly allowing operators to easily obtain permission for installation in sensitive areas. Huawei RuralStar is useful in rural areas because it decreases power consumption by 85% and cost by 70%.
Huawei provides operators with a total solution package (including site acquisition, equipment supply, and delivery) which helps them find new site resources and reduces on-air time with a 40% TCO saving. Huawei has already applied this model with several African operators.
In South Africa, a site alliance has been formed from cooperation between stakeholders, such as the government, businesses, and operators. With a wealth of experience in network planning, Huawei is fully aware of the locations where sites must be added and provided valuable insight into which specific sites could be leased to multiple operators.
By deploying pole sites, South Africa MTN which operates in many African countries, has saved $75K in construction costs for each single site, the site TTM is only 4-5 months, and the investment payback period for central urban areas is less than 1 year.
Looking at the large investment that operators are planning to make to improve connectivity over the coming years, they must build new sites to optimize network coverage and accommodate the sustained increase in MBB traffic. Pole sites are an ideal solution to these challenges and by partnering with Huawei, operators can reduce site CAPEX and OPEX to enable efficient MBB networks that improve citizens’ lives, create jobs and increase economic competitiveness.
